Promoting Youth Employment and Entrepreneurship

The Government of Sri Lanka, launched the YouLead! initiative to support youth employability, vocational skills development and entrepreneurship. Gift of Caring Ministry is working with the International Executive Service Corps (IESC) and other partners to implement the program and help young Sri Lankans become more competitive in the labor market.

Building Cohesion and Reconciliation in Communities

Under the Social Cohesion and Reconciliation (SCORE) program, Gift of Caring Ministryis working with the Government of Sri Lanka and local civil society organizations to address underlying challenges to reconciliation. The program works by promoting a shared and inclusive Sri Lankan identity, reducing socio-economic disparities, and strengthening cohesion and resilience among multi-ethnic and multi-religious communities.

The activities focus on expanding citizen-driven initiatives and networks among local communities and supporting those affected by the war. The program is also working to strengthen local governments and community-based organizations that provide critical services to the neediest and increase access to psychosocial services. Additionally, the project aims to increase opportunities for youth and women to exercise leadership in promoting responsible citizenship and reconciliation.

SCORE is unique in its approach to promoting a cohesive Sri Lankan identity whereby the process of reconciliation is community-driven. Community platforms are the core of SCORE’s grassroots engagements, as they are the medium through which SCORE puts forth notions of participatory planning, reconciliation and social cohesion.

SCORE has a sustained interest in community platforms to continue to build capacity, and SCORE has recognized that engaging the platforms is the best mechanism to work through, with and for the communities.